A27017:298
The Saints' Everlasting Rest
The saints everlasting rest, or, A treatise of the blessed state of the saints in their enjoyment of God in glory wherein is showed its excellency and certainty, the misery of those that lose it, the way to attain it, and assurance of it, and how to live in the continual delightful forecasts of it and now published by Richard Baxter ...The saints everlasting rest, or, A treatise of the blessed state of the saints in their enjoyment of God in glory wherein is shewed its excellency and certainty, the misery of those that lose it, the way to attain it, and assurance of it, and how to live in the continual delightful forecasts of it and now published by Richard Baxter ...
London: printed by Rob. White for Thomas Underhil and Francis Tyton, 1650
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
1First, It excludeth nothing more directly then sin; whether original, and of Nature; or actual, and of Conversation: For there entereth nothing that defileth, nor that worketh abomination, nor that maketh a lie; when they are there, the Saints are Saints indeed. He that will wash them with his heart blood, rather then suffer them to enter unclean, will now perfectly see to that; he who hath undertaken to present them to his Father,2 not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing; but perfectly holy, and without blemish, will now most certainly perform his undertaking. What need Christ at all to have died, if Heaven could have contained imperfect souls.3 For to this end came he into the world, that he might put away the works of the devil. His Blood and Spirit have not done all this,4 to leave us after all defiled. For what communion hath light with darkness? and what fellowship hath Christ with Belial? He that hath prepared for sin the torments of Hell, will never admit it into the Blessedness of Heaven. Therefore Christian, never fear this; if thou be once in Heaven, thou shalt sin no more. Is not this glad news to thee, who hast prayed, and watched and laboured against it so long? I know if it were offered to thy choice, thou wouldst rather choose to be freed from sin, then to be made heir of all the world: Why wait till then, and thou shalt have thy desire: That hard heart, those vile thoughts, which did lie down and rise with thee, which did accompany thee ⟨p. 103⟩to every duty, which thou couldst no more leave behind thee, then leave thy self behind thee, shall now be left behind for ever. They might accompany thee to death, but they cannot proceed a step further.1 Thy understanding shall never more be troubled with darkness: Ignorance and Error are inconsistent with this Light. Now thou walkest like a man in the twilight, ever afraid of being out of the way: Thou seest so many Religions in the World, that thou fearest thy one cannot be only the right among all these